THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1912. INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13382, 3 April 1912, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1912. INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

At a meeting of the Canterbury Cham-

ber of Commerce lield last week, an interesting discussion arose on the subject of the industrial problem, to which the1 President, the Hon H. F. Wigram, contributed a thoughtful speech. Tho matter was introduced by a resolution forwarded : ,by the Auckland Chamber, which the Canterbury, body was invited to endorse, requesting the Government to set up a representative Royal Commission, "composed of commercial men and leaden!-, of labour, whose duty it shall be to investigate the problem as it exists in New Zealand, and to endeavour to find a solution to it; such Commission to take evidence throughout the Dominion, and to report to tho Government within a reasonable time." After alluding to the grave and lasting consequences of such an upheaval as that which has been visited upon the United Kingdom, in which the actual belligerents, the miners and the mine-ownera might number about a million, or roughly two and a half per cent of the population, Mr Wigram said that personally ho did not believe in the efficacy of any legislation unless it was supported by an overwhelming weight jof imblic opinion. The New Zealand Conciliation and Arbitration Act was an honest attempt to face1 a most difficult problem, and it~ did, in fact, prevent strikes for some years, but they could no longer claim to have a country without strikes. Tho difficulty of legislating against strikes was that in practice it was- found imijossible to enforce

penalties against large bodies of men. But, Mr Wigram continued, he had great hopes that particularly hero in New Zealand a public opinion might be e\oked which Mould strongly discountenance that form of industrial warfare, ile believed there was a better feeling between -omployci" and employees here than in perhaps any other country. -They were freer from rlass prejudice, and the standard of education and intelligence amongst the workers was exceptionally high. He holiove-d a considerable pronortion of tho workers were averse to the strike, though when outvoted they might loyally support thoir fellows. Jf both sides could be brought to view the strike as a barbarous practice the way would be opened for the consideration of other moans

of sottling industrial disputes. There is not the excuse for tho strike in New Zealand that exists in some countries, namely, that labour is unorganised, without political rights or representation, and helpless to obtain redress of its grievances but by moans of a strike. Here, as Mr Wigram pointed out, tho workers have- already four representatives in tho House. They arc ■represented in tho Legislative Council, and. they have a vote which comriiands a respectful hearing in every constituency, as woll as direct representation on many local bodies. "By a consensus of agreement amongst civilised nations,"'Mr Wigram continued, "certain barbaric methods of warfare arc ruled out, such as explosive- bullets and poisoned weapons. Is it not timo that a civilised community should refuse to sanction tho strike as legitimate war? Will not the worker see that ho has other and bettor means of lighting his battles without involving tho whole community in his trouble F Will not tho great mass of our population who are neither captains of industry nor'industrial workers, refuse to allow what is, after Jill, only a section, of tho community to interfere with tho' wealth, happiness and convenience of the whole comi- ; try? If the country as a whole can be made to sco that the strike is an.anachronism inconsistent ivith our free- institutions the battle will bo almost won, as a strike, to bo successful, must have tho support and sympathy of" a large section, of the people behind it." Tho Chamber eventually agreed to endorse the Auckland resolution. There seems to he a^consensus of opinion everywhere that New Zealand has tho bast method of promoting industrial peace by legislation, :;s otir arbitration system is being largely adopted by other countries where the strike and the lock out are being continually requisitioned. For a number of yor.rs New Zealand under the Arbitration Act enjoyed freedom from strikes, and it is too much to say that because' the system, has failed in a few instances to avert strikes it is discredited. What is required in conjunction with it is to bring about better relations between employers and employees, and in this direction a frank and full discussion by both parties before j a Royal Commission would no doubt I be productive of much good.